Professional Cookery and Restaurant Operations: NQ (Level 5)
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Course overview
Step into the vibrant world of hospitality and discover your future career path.
If you’re passionate about food, events or customer service, this NQ Level 4 course offers the perfect introduction to one of the most exciting and fast-moving industries in Scotland.
You’ll gain hands-on experience in our commercial training kitchen and bistro, learning directly from industry-trained lecturers who will guide you through every stage of the customer journey — from kitchen to front of house. The course reflects current hospitality trends and combines practical skills with professional knowledge to help you prepare for employment or further study.
Whether you’re interested in working in restaurants, cafés, hotels, bars, event planning or tourism, this course gives you the essential skills and confidence to begin your journey in the world of hospitality.
This course is ideal for:
- School leavers or adults interested in starting a career in the hospitality or catering sector.
- Creative individuals who enjoy working with people in fast-paced environments.
- Those looking to explore a range of roles — from kitchen and bakery work to customer service and events.
- Learners planning to progress to higher-level hospitality or cookery qualifications.
What you will learn
You’ll gain a broad introduction to professional hospitality, food production and events, including:
- Introduction to the Hospitality Industry – explore roles, workplaces and career pathways
- Cookery Skills and Techniques – develop essential kitchen and preparation skills.
- Customer Service in Hospitality – learn how to deliver excellent customer experiences.
- Food and Beverage Service – gain insight into service styles, presentation and teamwork.
- Barista Skills – learn how to prepare and serve quality hot beverages.
- Introduction to Bakery – produce a variety of baked goods and pastries.
- Food Preparation Techniques – understand hygiene, safety and organisation.
- Event Planning – explore coordination and management in hospitality events.
📘 Learning & Assessment Methods:
- Practical sessions in the College’s commercial kitchen and training bistro.
- Customer-facing service experience.
- Group projects, demonstrations and reflective activities.
- Community Practice Placement – engaging directly with groups to apply theory to real-world situations.
Entry requirements
✅ No formal entry qualifications are required.
✅ A keen interest in hospitality, events, or food production is essential.
✅ A positive attitude, good communication and teamwork skills will help you succeed in this practical course.
ℹ️ Applicants must be 16 years or older at the start of the course.
ℹ️ For this course, if English is not your first language
- you need to have SQA ESOL National 5 (or equivalent, click here to see equivalent qualifications)
- If you do not have a formal ESOL qualification but your language skills meet this level, you should apply for your course and then contact our Admissions team to organise an internal language assessment here at the College.
Career Opportunities
This course prepares you for entry-level roles such as:
👨🍳 Catering Assistant
☕ Barista or Café Assistant
🍽️ Waiter/Waitress or Food Service Assistant
🎉 Events Assistant or Hospitality Team Member
These roles are available across cafés, restaurants, hotels, and catering operations throughout the hospitality sector.
Future prospects
After completing this course, you can progress to:
- NQ Level 5 Professional Cookery and Restaurant Operations
- Employment in hospitality and catering — from customer service and kitchen work to event coordination or bar service.
This course builds a strong foundation for anyone looking to advance in one of Scotland’s most dynamic industries.
